


The Sun Rises, Too

by orphan_account



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Author Has Little Knowledge of 19th Century Daily Life, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, LENNY!, Romance, Slow Burn, Western
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-08-19 23:27:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16544351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Blackwater changed everything. What happened there was chipping away at the Van Der Linde gang from the inside out, and Arthur was trying his damnedest to keep them all together. Dutch's promise to find one last score was the only thing that kept them going. Just one more, and they could bite the wind like a bullet. Arthur just had to find the money they needed, and in the meantime, keep everyone safe.All Anna Lauderdale wanted, however, was a new life, away from the people who expected her to live and dress and breathe like a lady, her literary degree be damned.She certainly didn't expect to get caught up in a gang war. But now she's here, in more trouble than ever as she finds herself between a gang of kind outlaws and the bloodthirsty law.And she manages to meet a man who with every word challenges her patience... and her preconceptions.





	1. Chapter 1

Man In The Woods

_Arthur Morgan, Chapter 1_

 

Arthur's latest hunting trip had carried him all the way up to Roanoke Ridge, a good ways north of Annesburg. The man who'd given him the map of supposed 'legendary' animals a few months back had heard talk of a massive bull moose grazing around the countryside near the old Van Horn outpost.

For what it was worth, the man had heard right. After tracking the beast for around two days, he managed to follow it down the edge of a small river in the foothills. The moose had nearly gutted him and it took half his bullets to down the damned thing, but the sheer quality and size of the pelt was a reward no man in his right mind could argue with.

Satisfied that he'd cleaned the animal of all its valuable parts and taken all the meat he could carry, he left the carcass for the crows and packed his goods on Ivory, his white Arabian. He remembered a small rocky outcropping he'd spotted by the Lannahechee river a few miles south of Van Horn and decided to head there to set up camp.

He mounted up and spurred his horse onward.

"That's a good girl," he cooed at her, patting her neck as she began a brisk trot down the hillside and back onto the path.

It only took him about 20 minutes to reach the wide stone ridge overhanging the river. There was plenty of forest cover to hide him from the path. The sound of the water rushing nearby would hide him from Pinkerton's ears. Finally, he noticed a small boat someone had pulled ashore about half a mile down in case he needed a quick escape.

He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling secure enough in the spot to sleep for the night.

He started gathering some nearby rocks and timber, setting up his campfire for the evening. He pulled his tinderbox out and got the fire going nice and strong. He pulled out the meat he'd harvested from the moose earlier and laid it out on a metal pan by the fire.

The smoke tickled his throat as he bent over, sending him into a short coughing fit. He dropped his coffee pot and it nearly rolled into the river. He cursed with a wheeze as he bent over to pick it up. He sat down for a moment to catch his breath again, running a hand across his brow and grimacing when he felt the dirt smear across his forehead. He'd need to take a bath when he passed back through Annesburg.

Finally the wheezing subsided and he fished out some thyme and mint that he'd picked earlier that day. Moose was hardly his favorite meat, but he'd be damned if he was going to turn down a good meal after having nothing but dry biscuits and baked beans for nearly a week. He ate a few pieces, feeling the life creep back into his tired bones as he downed the last few bites with a cup of coffee.

He finished cooking the rest and stowed them back into Ivory's saddlebags for later. He hung the pelt out on a nearby branch and led her down to the riverbank to get some water. He made sure to wash away the mud and moose blood that covered her pelt after carrying the fresh pelt. By the time he was done, the sun was just starting to set. The crickets, frogs, bats, and owls had begun to wake and the sounds of the night were rising in earnest.

"Who's my girl?" He spoke, brushing the last bit of dust from her mane before reaching into his bag and grabbing a couple of oatcakes for her. She ate them and began pressing her head against his bag, using her nose to try and open the flap.

"Alright, alright. That's what I get for having such a high maintenance horse." He grumbled, pulling out an apple and a sugar cube. She ate them happily, then nuzzled her face gently into Arthur's hair and knocked his hat off with an affectionate snort.

"Now, darlin' that was just rude. I think it's time out for both of us." He chuckled, but the dry soreness of his throat threatened to send him coughing again. He cleared his throat and led Ivory back up the bank before hitching her to a tree near some grass.

He pulled his blanket from her saddle and returned to the fire, spreading his padded bedspread over the warmest part of the rock. He sat down and pulled his boots off, setting them at the end of the blanket.

Finally, he reached into his satchel and pulled out his journal and pencil. There was still enough light to see, and the Lannahechee was beautiful in the failing light. He wrote about the size of the moose and the journey up into Roanoke. He did a short sketch of the creature, glancing over at the antlers hanging from Ivory's saddle to make sure he got the likeness right.

He had been finishing his shading when he heard the whistle of a steamboat coming from up the river. He watched as it came chugging down along the water and considered sneaking off before it passed by him. But he reasoned with himself, knowing it wasn't unusual for hunters or even brave campers to be up in these rural woods for sport. The boat wouldn't pay him any mind.

As it approached, he could make out the name of the ship. The "River Princess" was an old, small vessel that churned out enough steam for two riverboats. From his camp, he could make out the men walking around the ship. By the lights on the rails, he could make out a small table with a man and a woman sitting across each other in the low light. He quickly began sketching the boat, managing to get most of the small details in before it passed too far.

Too quickly, the sun had dropped below the mountains behind him. Resigning himself to finish the drawing in the morning, he packed his journal back into his satchel and took off his jacket.

He balled the coat up behind him as a makeshift pillow before lying down.

As he looked up at the patchy clouds in the sky and saw the stars blinking through them, he remembered the feel of his stiff cot back in the camp; the pictures of his parents on his ammo wagon; the records Dutch played in the late evening when he danced with Molly. He imagined Javier sitting next to him, playing guitar and flirting with Karen while Tilly and Lenny snuck away to place a cup of spoiled milk in Bill's tent.

He wondered, now that Sean was gone, at how much things at changed for the Van Der Linde Gang since Blackwater.

Deep in his bones, he felt that something had broken between him and Dutch. Something that couldn't be fixed.

But Dutch was his brother, and he'd be truly damned if he just gave up on him now. There was still time to save everyone. There had to be a way. There had to.

He couldn't keep going if he didn't believe that.

With a sigh, he reached up pulled his hat down to cover his face and closed his eyes in the darkness.

The stars didn't hold any answers for the likes of him.

 

Riverboat Blues

_Anna Lauderdale, Chapter 1_

Riding on a riverboat was far more pleasant than Anna Lauderdale had imagined. She was sitting at a small table by the starboard rails as they chugged down the Lannahechee River. Though it was dark and cloudy, the occasional waves of moonlight illuminated miles of thick forest, pebbly shores, and deer running parallel to the banks all along the small Western shore.

At least, that's what she would be admiring if there wasn't someone sitting right in front of her. The lanterns lining the ship's rails illuminated the deck and the tall man seated across the table.

He had shoulder-length grey hair and a short beard and mustache. He was wearing a pinstripe shirt, a green necktie, and a black hat with a snakeskin band. He leaned his chair back and rested his long legs against the railings while one gloved hand nursed a whiskey in his lap. He seemed quite content to stare at her in silence all night. Though she could hardly blame him, considering she was the only other guest aboard the small vessel, and she was a woman traveling alone at that.

Still, something about him made her skin crawl. Even though she supposed it was a feeling she would have to get used to now that she was on her own in unfamiliar territory.

"So, what brings a lovely lass like yourself out into this wild country?" He asked, nailing her trepidation on its head. "Especially all by her lonesome. It's mighty dangerous out here."

"I'm heading down to Saint Denis." She answered swiftly, glad to break the silence. "I was growing tired of my life in New England. I found many of my collegiate friends were becoming a bit… stuffy."

"Stuffy! Oh, aye, and I'm sure they had two feathered hats apiece and spoke the Queen's English." He joked.

"As a matter of fact, one had three parrot- feathered caps and would become quite irate if anyone dared to stare at them…" she replied, and the man howled with laughter.

Anna smiled, but she didn't know whether to be angry, embarrassed, or to laugh with him. A few of the boatmen had stopped on the upper deck to look down at the source of the noise and she settled on embarrassment.

"Now, now missy, don't you go turning all red now. I didn't mean nothing by it. I don't blame ya. I've lived out here for a long time and I've found the people around here to be a much more humble type. Except for some of the gangs. No lack of troublemakers and loud-mouthed fellers in these parts, I'm afraid."

"Gangs?" Anna asked, "I've heard there were some criminal groups out here but I'm afraid I don't know much about them."

"Really? I suppose they got more important things to worry about in the cities East, don't they? There's a few groups to keep your nose out for. There's a gang of Mexicans out in New Austin, some country hick bandits down in Lemoyne to keep an eye on. You might even hear a little about the O'Driscoll's from time to time."

He paused to take a sip of his whiskey, then carried on: "And then there's the Van Der Linde gang. I'd advise you to avoid that lot." He pulled his legs down an dleaned forward across the table to look into her eyes as he spoke: "Them's the worst of the worst, I promise you that. Rapin', killin', stealin'. They pull guns on pretty little ladies like you just to know the time of day." He said. Anger filled his eyes as he turned and looked out on the riverbank with malice in his voice.

"They killed my brother, and I'll make sure to gut every last one of those murderous bastards for it if it's the last thing I ever do." He spat.

"I'm sorry about your brother," Anna said, at a loss for much else to say. "I'm sure he's watching out for you."

It was a religious thing to say even for her tastes, but it was the only thing that came to her mind.

The man smiled back at her anyway. She felt it was likely the only true one he'd probably shown her that evening.

"I'm sure he is, Miss. I'm sure he is." As he was about to take a sip of his whiskey, a couple of men swiftly came down from the upper deck. After glancing at the table, they walked over.

“Colm!" One of the men started. "Duffy's finally awake, said he needs to talk to you."

"Ah, perfect. Time to find out what he knows before we send him home." He said. The other men laughed, as if it were some inside joke.

He stood and tipped his hat. He extended a hand towards her, saying "Well, Miss…?"

"Lauderdale. Anna Lauderdale." She responded, reaching her hand out to shake his.

He grabbed it and pulled it up to kiss the back of her hand in what might have been a charming gesture if not for his next words.

"Miss Lauderdale, it's been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing you again. If you ever need anything while you're in Saint Denis, just find one of my boys with a green necktie and tell 'em your name and that Colm says hello."

"I'll do that, Mr. Colm." She responded, lowering her hands away and into her lap as she looked up at him.

With one last too-wide smile, he turned around and began walking back upstairs with the other men. Suddenly drained, Anna decided it was time for her to turn in, too. They were only a few hours North of Saint Denis and she had the feeling she'd need all the sleep she could get.

Back in her room, she changed out of her dress and into a simple shirt and trousers. She preferred them to dresses, but it was always safer to look the damsel in the company of strangers. Sometimes it was impossible to tell how a man might react.

Hopefully, she thought, things would be different here than they were back home.

She lied down on the bed and felt the shake of the boat and rumble of the engines as it swam along.

But just as she was about to sleep, she heard a strange muffled sound coming through the vent by her head. It sounded like a man's groan.

Scandalized, she got up to cover the close the vent when she heard it again. This time, however, she heard another man's voice speak over it. Curious, she slowly approached the vent cover and pressed her against it to listen. It was Colm, the man she had met earlier.

"Now boy, you know I don't take kindly to traitors. I gave you food!" He stated, and she heard a thud sound that met with a muffled scream. "I gave you a job!" Thud. "A family!" Thud. "A place to stay!" Thud.

The man cried out again, loudly, and received another hit. She held her hand to her mouth to cover her gasp.

"Not too loudly, now, boy. There's other guests aboard and we wouldn't want them to hear, now would we?"

The voice whimpered softly, so quiet now that she could barely hear it.

"We know them boys are in the swamp. You're gonna tell us exactly where, or you're going to find that a quick death is the most merciful thing a piece of traitorous scum like you deserves."

There was another bang, and a clatter, and Anna could only assume he had knocked the man's chair to the ground with another strike.

"WHERE ARE THE VAN DER LINDES?" He shouted, causing Anna to jump and nearly knock over her night stand.

Colm cleared his throat, quieting again as if he'd forgotten himself. "You've got thirty minutes to live, Duffy. I'm gonna let that blood leak an answer out of you for a few minutes. Best decide how long I should make your death last now." He said, audibly kicking the man before walking away and slamming the door behind him.

Anna fell away from the vent as if Colm had kicked her through it. She was shaking. She didn't know whether to run, hide, or help the man. She'd be killed, she knew, if they caught her. Gang member or not, she couldn't just leave the man to be tortured. She knew Colm was off, and this man needed her help.

God help her, but she resigned herself to save the poor man.

She nearly fled the room to ask the sailors for help, but she recalled that Colm had mentioned the men in green ties as working for him. This had to be his boat, or at least full enough of his men to keep the rest of the shipmates quiet.

How appropriate, she thought, that this would be her punishment for trying to find the cheapest travel fare.

She didn't have time to plan. The man only had 20 or so minutes before Colm returned, and that was only if the snake was telling the truth.

No doubt he had men stationed nearby to keep him from escaping. But what about the windows? She grabbed her coat and let her instincts guide her.

Anna crept out her door and looked around the cabin, seeing nothing. She stepped onto the deck and nodded at a passing sailor. Luckily, it had started to rain and most of the lights on deck had been put out.

The man paid her no mind as she continued up to the top deck, where she saw the two men who had came to get Colm at the table earlier. They were guarding the top of the stairs on the upper deck and she walked right towards them. They ogled her white blouse and she gave them a small smile.

Please, she begged silently, let them be idiots.

"Excuse me, fellas. I was feelin' awful lonely in my cabin and thought I'd pay Mr. Colm a late night visit, if that's all right? He was such a gentleman earlier."

She flashed them a smile and let her coat flap open the gentle wind, revealing more of the silk shirt that was beginning to fade translucent in the rain. The man on the left blushed and looked away while the other smiled lecherously and waved her past.

"He's in room 6, lass. Round the corner," He winked, adding, "and we wouldn't mind you paying us a visit later, if you're still lonely."

She walked forward and dragged her eyes up and down him.

"Well, tonight is a dreary one. I'm sure I'll need plenty of company to keep the cold away tonight." She replied, turning to walk away. "See you boys later!" She called.

Once she turned the corner, she started checking the windows. Her room was number 2 on the lower deck and the floor plans appeared to be stacked and similarly placed. She quietly crept past Colm's door and back to the other side of the ship facing the bank. She peeked into the circular window or room 4, and could make out a shape on the floor in the middle of the room.

She tried the handle, but it was unsurprisingly locked. The window, too, seemed to be bolted shut. She looked around, praying for something to open the door or the window, when she spotted a tool case by rails. She snatched up a screwdriver and quickly set about dismantling the handle. She pulled it off and dropped it quietly to the side before padding into the room and up to the injured man.

He was unconscious and had lost a good amount of blood. He was missing teeth and fingernails, as she noticed them in a pile by his head.

But he was alive, thank heavens.  
Now she had to figure out how to get him off the ship without anyone noticing.

Thankfully, adrenaline was still pumping through her veins enough to help her drag the man to the side of the railing. There were no lifeboats, no ladders, nothing around her she could really protect herself with. She looked at the man beside her, and then noticed the orange lifejackets on the wall behind her.

They would have to jump.

She quickly slipped one of the vests on and the other onto the man, lifting him with her as she moved to the back of the ship to a break in the railing.

With one last fearful breath, she held the man close and fell into the dark river running below.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter two! Thanks for all the comments and kudos, everyone! It helped spur me on!
> 
> I know my writing isn't perfect, but this is really fun to write and I'm glad you guys are enjoying it.

Hounds At Their Heels

_Anna Lauderdale, Chapter 2_

How she managed to pull herself and the man ashore, she didn't know. She was certain, however, that she didn't have the strength to pull him much farther.

Shoeless, soaked, and exhausted, Anna did her best to drag the man further up the bank.

The boat was still moving, but she knew it wouldn't be long before Colm and his men had realized what happened. She stood and stumbled through the forest until she found the edge of the road. She looked around and made out the faint light of a lantern in the distance.

As if by fate, and at this point she was most certainly sure it was so, a covered wagon was coming about half a mile down the road.

"Hey! Hey!" She called over the heavy rain. She ran into the middle of the path. "I need help!"

The wagon sped up, the horses coming to a hard stop right in front of her. The tall middle-aged driver quickly jumped down, grabbed his lantern, and approached her with his gun drawn.

She immediately threw her hands into the air.

"What in tarnation are you doing out here, miss?" He demanded, brandishing the gun.

"Please sir," she begged, thinking on her feet. "It's my husband. We were riding to Annesburg from up North when we got attacked by some men. They tortured him, beat him something fierce and he needs a doctor!" She pleaded. A

The man looked unconvinced, but he growled and holstered his weapon. He held the lantern high.

"Where is he? Let's get him in the back." He said.

He followed her to the riverside and muttered a curse the moment he laid his eyes on the man.

"They sure gave your feller a bad turn, miss. Here, hold the lantern." He said, passing the light to her. He leaned down and lifted the unconscious man onto one shoulder and Anna followed him back to the wagon. He laid the man in the back of the wagon and she climbed in beside him. She sat beside him on a crate behind the driver. She pulled off her wet jacket and balled it up to slide under the man's head.

"We're only an hour or so from Annesburg at a steady pace, miss. I'm sure he'll be alright." The man reached behind him and grabbed a coat before tossing it back to here. "Are you gonna be ok?"

"I'm fine," she answered. “And thank you for helping me. I'm very grateful. I'm sorry I can’t pay you. They took everything we had.”

She felt bad for lying to the man.

“Yeah, well,” the man replied awkwardly, “my momma might of raised a fool bastard, but she didn’t raise no mean one. Not like the men who did this to you. Did you catch any of their names? Their faces?”

Anna debated telling the man at least that much of the truth, but something about the man made her feel safe. She decided to tell him. He might not be able to help her, but at least the man would know to avoid him if they crossed paths in the future.

“He said his name was Colm. Had long white hair and was-“

The man yanked on the reins, pulling his two horses to a halt and turning around in his seat with a wild look. The rain was running off his face in rivulets.

“Colm? Did you say his name was Colm, woman?”

“Yes,” she answered, shocked at his response. “Why? Is he well-known in these parts?”

“Colm O'Driscoll is one of the most dangerous men from here Atlantic to Pacific. He did this to your man? Where did they go?”

“He was on a boat, heading down the river.”

The stranger turned back around, frantically trying to see out into the rain ahead. “Shit! Shit! This is what I get for helping others.” He groused.

“I'm sorry, I don’t understand-“ Anna started.

“If Colm O’Driscoll is in Annesburg and sees me pulling two o' his victims into town he'll flay all of us alive. We can’t go there. We'll have to go around.” He said, flapping the reins to send the horses onto a small trail leading into the hills.

“I’d wrap that man of yours up with one of the blankets in that crate, miss. It’s a long ride from here to Emerald Ranch.”

“If you think that's best, mister.” She replied. “I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble.”

“The name is Geddes. David Geddes. And it’s done.” He sighed. “Perhaps it’s for the best. If Colm’s in town, it’s better to avoid it altogether. That, and my wife has been bugging me to talk to the rancher there about buying some property in Ambarino. Might as well talk to the man. You get some rest, miss. I'll keep you safe, missus… I'm afraid I never caught your name?”

“My name is Anna… Duffy.” She recalled the man's last name from the boat. “ And this is my husband, Patrick.”

“Well, Miss Duffy, like I said. There’s blankets in that crate and some canned food, too. I've got a few bottles of whiskey back there somewhere. When Mr. Duffy wakes up, I reckon he's going to need one, but for now would you mind sending one up here for me?” he asked.

She rifled around and found some Guarma rum, some strong whiskeys and a bottle of brandy. “Mind if we share this fire brandy?” she asked. “It’s cold tonight and I need a little spice.”

“Not at all, miss, not at all.” Mr. Geddes replied.

 

 

  
An Unexpected Encounter

_Arthur Morgan, Chapter 2_

The warm soapy water splashing over his head felt as if it had washed away weeks of grime and blood.

Hell, he thought, it might have been a whole month since he was this clean. He sighed and leaned back against the tub, content to lie in the water until all the steam had died out. He idly wondered how much coal the people of Annesburg had to use warm the water for all the baths they needed to wash away the soot staining their skin.

The O'Driscoll, Kieran, had been missing for a few days. Arthur couldn’t bring himself to blame the poor bastard. Trapped with them, he'd been miserable but safe from the vengeful Colm. Seemed like he'd decided to try his luck on his own and Arthur did wish him the best.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"I ain't interested in any help today, miss." He grumbled, "I'm almost done anyway."

"Glad to hear that, sir," a man responded, "as I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to hasten your cleaning, if that's alright. We've just received a reservation request and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Arthur sighed, getting out of the tub and wrapping himself in a towel. He stepped over to the door and opened it wide in the man's face. It was the innkeep.

"Gotta kick out the trash to make room for the big shots. I'll be outta your hair in a few minutes." Arthur said, pushing past the man walking over to his room.

"Thank you for your understanding, sir. I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. I've had breakfast arranged for you downstairs, as my way of making it up to you."

Arthur grunted in response, turning back to look at the thin bespectacled man. "Thanks… I'll be right down." He nodded, pushing into the room where he'd left his things and closing the door behind him.

He had pulled out one of his few clean outfits and laid it out on the bed. It was a simple blue dress shirt, some dark jeans, and a thin vest.

Before he donned them, he stopped by the mirror to examine himself. His beard needed a trim, he noticed first, and his hair was getting too long. The still-fresh scar on his shoulder courtesy of the O'Driscoll's had healed better after he'd applied some tonic to it, but the sepsis had certainly done a number on him. Might still be, he thought numbly.

"No wonder they all leave you," He idly spoke, rubbing his fingers over the wound. "You're one ugly son of a bitch."

He sighed and pulled himself away from the mirror to get dressed.

When he finished, he looked out the window and noticed how heavy the rain was still coming down. He pulled on a thick green jacket and began packing his things.

When he finished, he counted up the last of his money; he still had about $1000 saved up from his last few scores. Plenty to do a little spending before riding back down to Shady Belle.

Satisfied with his plans, he headed downstairs to find that breakfast the innkeep had mentioned.

Halfway down the stairs he started coughing and nearly slipped down the rest of the way. A miner sitting at the counter tossed him a sympathetic look, but quickly turned his attention back to the newspaper in his hands.

"Any good news today there, Matthias?" The innkeep asked, spying Arthur and waving him up to the bar.

"Is there ever?" The man responded. "Train robberies, kidnappings, racist hooligans burning up the woods. The last time this country had any good news, it was when we first found it."

"Nonsense, nonsense!" The innkeeper spoke as he put a tray in front of Arthur and busied himself pouring coffee for the three of them. "It was all bad news the moment the first Englishman was born."

Arthur chuckled along with the men. Despite the innkeep's polite request, Arthur hadn't planned on staying too long anyway. The breakfast, however, was a pleasant surprise.  
There was a generous pork chop, a slice of buttered bread, and a heap of vegetables on the side.

Luckily the two had enough politeness about them to let Arthur eat his meal in peace. When he was finished, he tipped his hat to both, picked up his bag, and headed out the door.

Annesburg was a small but growing town, though Arthur suspected the inhabitants would rather live anywhere than their cramped quarters built and owned by Mr. Cornwall. The sad little homes across the street seemed empty in the steady afternoon rain, but it was a cold downpour and he was glad the buildings weren’t terribly far apart. He walked swiftly down the street to the store but was met with a closed sign.

“The hell?” he griped aloud. “It’s Tuesday. Why's the damn store closed?”

As if to answer, a man suddenly burst out of the window next door and took off to the river. Arthur watched in shock as two men jumped out after him. Instinctively, Arthur dove off the porch and took cover behind a carriage parked nearby.

“Michael! Paddy! Bring him back here alive!” A voice demanded, leaning out the window. The man turned his bead and looked around before pulling back inside.

Arthur would recognize that face anywhere. Colm O'Driscoll.

He had to leave town. Now. He crossed the street and snuck down the road to the stables, saddled up Yvo, and took off full gallop out the backdoor. He'd have to ride all the way to Emerald Ranch to shake off any followers, then catch a wagon to Valentine to buy food for the camp.

He reached up and wiped the rain from his eyes. The clouds above him were were grey and angry, promising rain for hours to come.

At least Valentine had a decent trapper there who'd give him a good price for the pelt.

But he cursed at himself as he rode, wiping the rain from his eyes with one hand. Colm O’Driscoll had nearly seen him, and if he had, he doubted he would have made it out of there alive.

 _This time_ , he thought sardonically.

The world just kept teasing Arthur with one death after another.

 


	3. Emerald Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! Please look upon my loose timeline with mercy.

Valleys of Green

_Anna Lauderdale, Chapter 3_

Even when evening came, the sky refused to let a single ray of afternoon light pass through the thick blanket of dark rain clouds that still loomed overhead. The canvas wagon cover did little to shield them from the downpour, and Anna could feel her skin chafe against her water-logged blouse with every god-forsaken bump on the road. She dreaded to imagine how Mr. Geddes must feel after hours of open riding in the driver's seat.

Time, at least, had been on their side. After getting blocked from the old mountain path by a rockslide, their only choice had been to ride through a freshly cut path on the forested side. To their great surprise, the path had carved through swathes of trees and hills and straight to Emerald Station.

The dim light of the late afternoon sun that managed to filter through painted the green fields around her in a deep and somber blue. Emerald, Anna mused, was probably an apt description for the melancholy plains that stretched out far ahead of them. At least, maybe they were when the sun was shining

"See that ranch house down the valley a ways, Miss Lauderdale?" Mr. Geddes called back.

Anna leaned forward to look out the front of the wagon to see where he was pointing. There was a large home nestled in the middle of a field. As they approached, she could make out a few of the smaller buildings that constituted the town.

"That's Emerald Ranch. Last time I took the mountain road, it took me a day and a half. We've made damn good time." He leaned back and looked into the wagon. "How's your man, miss?"

"Quiet," Anna answered, but the man lying in the wagon beside her let out a soft whimper as if to protest. His brows were drawn tight and his breathing had quickened. "But I think he's coming to." For better or worse, she thought, looking down at the fearsome bruising on his temple. "You're sure there is a doctor here?" Anna asked, "He will see my husband?"

"Yes, yes, I know the man. His name is Dr. Sexton. He helped my wife deliver our son only a year or so ago." He said. "He stays in one of the workers' houses on the ranch. He's a kind fellow, he'll treat you and your man well."

"Thank you, Mr. Geddes," she said. "Truly. You are a kind man, and it has been a long time since I've been able to say that."

"Now, Miss Duffy, the West is big and beautiful. There are more kind folk out here then we'd let you believe," he answered. "Ah!" He said abruptly. "We're here. Ho!" He called, pulling the wagon to a full stop.

"Now, you climb out and pull your husband to the edge. I'll go find Dr. Sexton." He said, climbing off the wagon and jogging over to the front door of a small house.

Anna climbed out the wagon and pulled Mr. Duffy towards her. He had begun to shiver. His skin was pale and cold to the touch. His head tossed back and forth, as if he were trying to wake himself from a terrible dream.

Just then, Mr. Geddes and a man in his night clothes came up behind her. "Quick," the man said. "Let's get him inside."

Mr. Geddes grabbed Mr. Duffy's shoulders and pulled, while the other man grabbed his legs. They carried him inside and laid him down on a medical bench.

The man, who must have been Dr. Sexton, began to check Mr. Duffy for injuries. Mr. Geddes, on the other hand, tipped his hat to her before making his way back outside.

"What happened to him?" The doctor asked.

"We were robbed by some bandits near Annesburg last night. They... tied my husband up and pulled out some of his teeth and best him. One of them hit him pretty hard on his head and knocked him to the ground. He's been unconscious since." Anna answered. It wasn't the whole truth, but they weren't lies, either. "He started making noises and moving around like he's about to wake up."

"I see... Well, the head injury concerns me most. I do have some salve I can use on his gums. I don't feel any broken bones, but we'll have to wait until he wakes up for him to show me where he's in pain."

Dr. Sexton set about cleaning Mr. Duffy's wounds, bandaging his bruised ribs and head and applying a paste of some kind to his damaged gums. He reached into one of his medical cabinets and pulled out a small container.

"Come here, please. I'm going to try some smelling salts on him and it would be best if you held him down. He may react quite strongly."

Anna quickly stepped over to the bed and sat down beside her 'husband'. She placed her bands on his shoulders as Dr. Sexton opened a small vial and held it underneath his patients' nose.

The effect was immediate; Mr. Duffy's eyes flashed open and woke with a shout, swinging his arms around wildly and catching Anna in directly in the nose. She felt a warm rivulet of of blood run down her face and crest over her lip. "Fuck!" She cursed, renewing her grip on the man and trying again to pin his arms down.

"Calm down, Mr. Duffy! Calm down! I'm a doctor. Your wife brought you here after you were robbed."

Mr. Duffy stopped his flailing, but he did not relax. He looked around the room with bulging eyes before cupping his face in his hands.

"I-oh, hell, my head- I don't know where I am. Who are you people? Where's the boat? Wh-wh-where's Mr. O'Driscoll?" He asked with a tremor in his voice.

"Mr. Duffy, please, calm yourself. You're safe now. Now, those bandits did a number on you and I need to know if you feel any broken bones."

"No. No, I don't think so. My head hurts something fierce from where he kicked me, though," he said, sitting up on the bed. "Oh, man, Arthur's gonna kill me if O'Driscoll doesn't find me first. I gotta get out of here."

"Now just wait a moment, Mr. Duffy. I can give you some morphine for the pain, but I'm afraid I need you to stay here and rest for a few days. Head injuries are quite serious-"

"No, no, no," he repeated, pushing his way off the bed and stumbling past Anna. "I have to get out of here before they find me. I have to go back and tell Arthur what happened."

He threw open the front door and looked around. "This is- this is Emerald Station, right? I know where to go from here. Thank you both for the help but I need to go, I need to-"

"Patrick, wait!" Anna called. She didn't know the man's real name, but she couldn't just let him walk away if he was still injured. "Listen to the good doctor. At least stay another night to make sure you'll be ok."

Mr. Duffy stood in the doorway, face contorted in confusion. "My name is Kieran, ma'am. And I don't know you. I'm grateful to you for bringing me here, truly, but you need to leave, too. Colm O'Driscoll doesn't leave loose ends. You have no idea what he would have done to me."

There, in the shadows of lantern light and the blue air behind him, she could see straight into Kieran Duffy. She could see the fear and pain etched into his haggard eyes like a brand. He was scared witless, exhausted, and in pain.

She had no doubt that if she hadn't saved him, this man would have died a gruesome death on that horrible ship.

"Now you listen to me, Patrick." Anna repeated. "This doctor is just trying to help you. Your head is fogged up from whatever that man did to you. You need rest, and food, and medicine. I know you're confused right now, but I promise, I'll keep you safe," she said honestly. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Kieran opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He sheepishly raised one hand to rub at the back of his neck.

"I-" he started, interrupted by his own yelp as a hand came out of the dark behind him and gripped him by the back of his jacket.

"Well, well, O'Driscoll, ain't you a long way from home?" came a gravelly voice.

"Arthur?" Kieran floundered, breaking free of the man's grip and backing up into the house.

"You're a long way away from camp, boy." The man said as a tall muscular man stepped into the light. He had brown hair, a short-trimmed beard, and tanned skin.

"Arthur! Arthur, listen, it was Colm!" He started, rambling at full speed. "Some of his boys nabbed me while we were going down to Lemoyne. I know I shouldn't have walked off, but I had to take a leak, and-"

Arthur rushed forward and grabbed Kieran by the shoulders. "Colm's men grabbed you? Did you tell 'em anything?" He shouted, shaking the smaller man like a toy.

Anna rushed over and grabbed onto Arthur's arm to yank it free of Kieran's shirt. "Let go of him!" She demanded. "Can't you see he's hurt?"

Both Arthur and Kieran looked at her in shock. At the sound of a cocking gun, all three of them turned back to Dr. Sexton, who had grabbed his revolver from a nearby desk.

"All of you! Tell me what's going on here!" He demanded. He had both hands on his gun to steady his shaking grip, but it did him little good.

Arthur dropped Kieran to the floor and stormed over to the Doctor. The Doctor panicked and fired off a warning shot in his direction.

"You! I know you! You're Arthur Morgan, ain't you? The outlaw!" He stated. Arthur didn't slow his approach. "Don't come any closer!" He demanded. "I-I will shoot you!"

In a heartbeat, Arthur yanked the gun out of the man's hand and, with a swift punch, knocked the poor Doctor clean out.

"God damn, what a mess. You're coming with me, O'Driscoll. We have a lot to talk about." He said, turning to leave and grabbing Kieran's arm to drag him outside.

Anna was furious. "Now wait just a moment. He's hurt. I already saved him from one group of bastards, I don't want to have to do it again!" She shouted.

Arthur stopped in his tracks, looking to Kieran, who shrugged weakly. "I don't know, sir. One thing I was tied up on a boat on the Lannahechee and next thing I knew I was here."

"Damn fool. You're a damn fool, Kieran Duffy. Only person knew you were even missin' was Mary-Beth, you dumb son-of-a-bitch. What did you say, huh? How much you let slip?" He demanded.

"Nothing! Nothing, I swear. Least, didn't have to. They were just torturing me for fun when I passed out. You know what they were gonna do to me, Arthur? What Colm does to traitors? You ever heard the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Arthur?"

"No," he answered with a nod.

"They were going to behead him," Anna gasped, horrified at the realization. "They were going to-" she stumbled, feeling faint.

"They would have set me up in a saddle with my head nailed into my lap." He finished, looking away from Anna's blood-covered face. "But I guess this woman here… she was on the ship. She saved me. I think."

"You were on Colm O'Driscoll's ship?" Arthur asked, turning to Anna. "Why? You working for him?"

She gathered herself, wiping tears and blood onto the sleeves of her white nightshirt. "No, I was just paying for a ride to Saint Denis. My cousin's got a bookshop there, and he offered me a job. I- When I heard what was happening upstairs on the boat the other night, I couldn't leave him there. I snuck in and pulled him out and we jumped."

"You… a ship on the Lannahechee last night…" Arthur said, more to himself than anyone. "You were on O'Driscoll's ship, woman. Did you talk to him?"

"Well, yes. He sat and talked to me on the deck for a bit. He was a strange man, but I didn't-"

"Did you tell him your name? Where you were going? Where you're from?" he asked.

"In the effort to make polite conversation, yes. He sat down in front of me. I had no idea who he was. I still don't," Anna said.

Arthur was quiet for a moment, taking in the shorter woman in front of him. Her face was bloodied and chapped. Her clothes were torn, muddied, and stained.

He stomped past her and into the hallway, coming back a moment later with a handful of clothes and a rag. He tossed them at her.

"Get yourself cleaned up. We're all going to Lemoyne," He said.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Rating may eventually be raised to E if author finds the motivation.


End file.
